1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a shelf system, particularly a pallet shelf system, having longitudinal girders and/or transverse girders as support elements suspended from and/or fastened to upright posts, wherein the longitudinal girders and/or transverse girders are sectional rails.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Shelf systems of the above-described type have been known for a long time and are used predominantly as so-called pallet shelf systems exclusively composed of the structural components described above.
The products or goods to be stored in a pallet shelf system of the above-described type are placed on standardized pallets which are placed by means of stacking devices on the longitudinal girders and/or transverse girders. The standardized pallets can then also be lifted from these girders.
However, in many cases, it is desirable or even required that the shelf system can receive goods which are not placed on pallets but which are to be introduced directly. The simultaneous storage of goods placed on pallets and of individual goods is frequently required in storage facilities for spare parts or replacement parts such as, motor vehicle parts which may include bulky components.
When bulky structural components are to be individually stored in the shelf system, it is necessary to provide shelf members in the shelf system, such as, gridirons, steel sheets or chipboards, which are placed on the longitudinal girders and/or transverse girders. In addition, these shelf members have to be secured to the girders to prevent the shelf members from sliding.
When shelf systems of the above-described type are equipped with such shelf members, there is the disadvantage that the placement of the shelf members on the longitudinal girders and/or transverse girders constructed as support elements requires a certain amount of space which is then effectively lost for the storage of goods. If, on the other hand, this loss of storage space is to be avoided, the setting up of the shelf members requires a substantial amount of special operations when the shelf system is erected. These special operations not only increase the expenses of the shelf system, but they also make it more difficult or even impossible to adapt the shelf system to changing storage requirements.
It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide a shelf system of the above-described type which avoids the disadvantages mentioned above. Specifically, it is the object of the present invention to provide a shelf system of the above-described type in which the longitudinal girders and/or transverse girders suspended from and/or fastened to the posts of the shelf system can be used at any time individually and directly as support elements for the pallets to be placed in the shelf system, while the girders can additionally be equipped with or completed to form closed shelf members without problems and requiring only a few manipulations.